Fireproof door.



C. R. BUMBARGER.

FIREPROOF DOOR.

APPLIiIATION FILED MAR. 23.1914.

1,202,964. Patented Oct. 31,1916.

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WITNESSES: [N 1/5 N TOR m: nanmil Imus 00.. rnurn-urna. wasmua mu, 04 ::v

C. R. BUMBARGER.

FIREPROOF DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. 1914.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

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WITNESSES:

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C. R. BUMBARGER.

HREPROOF DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1914.

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CLARENCE R. BUMBARGER, or KANSAS CITY, ivrfssounr, ASSIGNOR T0 eno. w. JOHNSON MFG. 00., or KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A CORPORATIONOF Mrs-sonar rmnrnoor' noon.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAnnNen R. BUM- nanenn, a citizen of the United States. residing at Kansas City. in the, county of Jackson and State of Missouri. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FireproofDoors; and I do declare the'following to be a full. clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skillcd in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the sanie. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification,

My invention relates to fire-proof doors, or the like, and more particularly to a metal door or window of that class. which. when in open position, is reeled within a housing at the top of door opening; the principal object. of the present invention being to provide a. fire-proof structure of this character, which will close'automatically in case of fire.

It is alsoan object of the invention to provide mechanical means for carrying out the general purpose of theinvention,'and injaccomplishingthese objects I have provided the improved details of structure hereinafter described and illustrated in theaccompanving drawings, wherein:

Figure I isa perspective view of a fireproof door containing my improvements and illustrating the door in partially closed condition; a part of the door casing being broken away to illustrate the arrangement of the. door on its reel. Fig. II is an end view of the parts shown inFig. I. Fig. III

is an enlarged elevation of the reel, its casmg and automatic controlling mechanism; the curtain being removedfrom the reel and the casing being in vertical section. Fig. IV is an end view of the door casing showing the automatic latch for holding the reel. in its operative position and holding the housing damper open, the cover being re moved. Fig. V isa rear view of the latch mechanism. Fig. VI is a view of the same parts with the latch released. Fig. VII is an enlarged longitudinal section of the reel,

showing thefixed and free sections that provide the automatic release. Fig. VIII 1s a perspective view of the reel and easing; the

latter being in section, Fig. IX is an en larged cross section of the same. Fig. X is a horizontal section of part of the door frame with the guide. Fig. XI is a detail perspective of the upper portionofOne of the-door guides.

Referring more in detail to the parts: "1 designates thefranie of any door or window, but in order to simplify the following description I will refer to the same as a door only, although it is understood thatthe de-v vice is equallyadapted for use in connection with a window. 7

Fixed to the frame 1 adjacent the door opening are vertical guides 2, each preferably comprising an angle-iron 3 having a flange d bolted, or otherwise secured to the.

frame at one end, and having a plurality of slots l through which bolts 5 may be projected to fasten the guide to the wall and permit expansion thereof should the parts become overheated.

Secured to av flange of the angle-iron 3 is the flange 6 of an angle-iron 7 the opposite flange 8 of which is directed inwardly relative to the frame, andfixedto the flange 6 of the iron 7 is the-flange 9 ofan iron 10,

thoflange 11;of which. parallels'thefl'ange 8.. of iron 7 and 1s spaced therefrom to provide a guide channel 12. V

The upper end of the outer angle-iron flange 7 terminates at or .adiacent the top of the door opening in an outwardly turned lip 1e (Fig. IX), and the upper end of the inner flange 11 extends upwardly and rearwardly into contact with the door frame, and together with the outward lip 1% forms a hopper-like mouth 15 through which the flexible curtain, iereinafter described. may travel; the flaring mouth. obviating jamming of the curtain should the reel upon which the curtain is wound be turned rapidly and unwind the curtain faster than the latter is lowered in its guides."

Mounted on the door frame. above the guides, is a casing 16 comprising end plates '17 having circular forward edges and flat has its lower edge projected beneath the out- .turned lips 14 of the guide flanges 8 and secured thereto, while its upper edge terminates fiush with the door frame; both edges being provided with beads 23 to form a rigid structure, and the ends of the sheet being secured at intervals to the plates by brackets 24. chamber 16 formed by the extended edges of the metal sheet 22, which contains the automatic mechanism hereinafter described, and which is provided with a removable cover 16 for entirely inclosing the parts.

Each of the end plates 17 has a bearing 27, and revolubly mounted in said bearings are the tubular shaft members QS QS, each of which has its outer end projected through the bearing and plate and its inner end in abutment with the mating member. One of the shaft members contains collars 29, and

located within said collars and fixed thereto and to the shaft member is a coupling rod 31, the outer end of which projects from the end of its shaft member into the opposite shaft member, where it is revclubly mounted in bushings 32 that are contained within collars 33, which are riveted, or otherwise rigidly secured to the shaft member 28, so that the shaft members 2828 may revolve freely of but coaxially with each other.

Revolubly mounted on each of the shaft members, is a drum 34, preferably comprising a hub portion 35 that is spaced from the shaft by roller bearings 36, and having a peripheral flange 37 Surrounding the shaft is a band spring 38 the opposite ends of which are fixed to the drum flange 37 and to the shaft respectively; washers 40 being mounted tn the shaft and positioned to retain the roller hearings in the hub and to cover the open face of the drum. A cotter-pin, or the like 41, is fixed to the shaft adjacent the end of the hub to retain the drum against outward longitudinal movement along the shaft. The drums on the separate shaft members are identical and each is preferably provided with peripheral sockets 43 in which the reel bars 44 are seated; the said bars being of such number and arrangement about the drums that they form a rigid, skeleton reel upon which a flexible curtain 45 may be wound; the upper end of the curtain being fixed to the reel by a clamp bar 46, having bolts 47 extending therethrough and through the end of the curtain into one of the reel bars to hold the upper end of the curtain evenly and securely to the reel.

The curtain 47 is preferably composed of corrugated steel and its lower end carries a bottom board 49, the ends of which are adapted for travel in the guides 2 and the lower edge of which carries the hanger bars 50 that form a footing for the board. A hanger bar 51 is secured to the outer face of the board above the footing and adapted for At one end of the casing is a engagement with the lower bead of the easing plate 22, so that when the curtain is coiled, the opening to the casing is closed to prevent foreign matter from entering the casing.

I also preferably mount a damper 53 within the casing to prevent drafts therethrough and thereby obviate damage to the reel in case of fire; the specific construction of the damper preferably comprising a rod 54, which is mounted on the plates 17 and extends across the case above the reel, and a metal plate 55, which is rigidly mounted on the rod 54 and hangs over the reel, so that it contacts and is supported by the flexible curtain member when the latter is rolled on the reel; it being apparent that the damper will yield when the curtain is moved thereunder, and that it closes the interior of the casing to shut ed the passage of air about the reel.

It is apparent that with the present construction, comprising the two spring drums, both of which are of the construction hGI'GtO-n fore described with reference to the single drum that has been specifically mentioned, and with the flexible curtain secured to the reel, the springs may be tensioned to balance the curtain, the spring tensioning mechanism preferably comprising disks 57, one of which is fixed to the end of each of the shaft members and provided with laterally directed peripheral lugs 58, having apertures 59 for receiving a bar whereby the disks and shaft members may be revolved to tension the drum springs. lVith the present automatic construction the disk 57 on the shaft member 28" is adapted for cooperation with a locking pin 60 that is adapted for projection through a bracket 61 on the fixed casing plate 17 to hold the shaft firmly against revolution un der tension of the spring, so that the drum spring on the shaft member 28 may remain under tension irrespective of the action of the spring on the shaft member 28.

Fixed to the shaft member 28 is a disk 57 similar to the disk 57 on the shaft member 28, but provided, in addition to the lugs 58, with peripheral bosses 63, which are adapted for engagement by a pawl 64 that projects laterally from a lug 65, which is pivotally mounted on an arm 66 that is, in turn, pivotally mcunted en a stud 68 on the adjacent casing plate 17. The end of the arm 66 isv weighted to carry the pawl away from the reel disk when the arm is unrestrained, and the free end of said arm is provided with a roller 69, which is adapted for holding engagement by a tooth 7 0 (Fig. V) on a hanging arm 71 that is pivotally mounted on a stud 7 2 carried by a bracket 73 on the casing plate 17, so that when the hanging arm is in functional position, the arm 66 is supported on the tooth and the pawl 65 held in position for restraining travel of the reel,-

link vis melted, weight of the arm 66 will push the hanging arm out of the way to allow the pawl to drop from the reel and free the reel, so that the door may be lowered by its own weight.

I prefer to retain the damper 55 out of contact with the reel and curtain under normal conditions, in order to prevent its wiping the curtain when the latter is reeled or unreeled, and in accomplishing this object, I extend the damper rod 54 through the casing plate carrying the latch mechanism and attach a crank member 79 to the projecting end of the rod. Pivotally connected with the crank member is a depending link 80, having a slot 81 at its lower end, through which a pin 82 is projected into the hanging arm 71; the parts being so arranged that when the latch is set to hold the reel shaft, the damper is held in elevated position, away from the reel, but when the latch is released by fusing of the link, the damper is positively pulled down by the weighted arm, to shut off draft through the casing.

In arranging a door of this construction, the combined tension of the reel springs is adapted for balancing the weight of the curtain in about the proporticn of two-thirds of the weight on the constantly active spring on the shaft member 28, and one-third of the weight on the drum on the shaft 28, so that in case the fusible link is melted, the shaft member 28 may revolve freely in its bearing, and the curtain be freed from the tension of the spring on that member, so that it may lower automatically against the tension of the single spring, thereby providin g for automatic closing of the door in case of fusing of the link. 7

It is apparent that, under normal conditions, with the curtain under influence of both of the reel springs, the curtain may be opened by lifting on the rail 51 and lowered by pulling downwardly thereon. It is also apparent that the same structure is adapted for use as a shutter, and. as there is no necessity for closing the ordinary fire shutter, except incase of fire, no further means is required fortheir manipulation as the closure will lower automatically when the link is fused under influence of the high temperature incident to a fire within or adjacent the building equipped with my improved device. In using the door, presuming the parts to be constructed and assembled as described,

when the curtain is first installedinthe casing, the permanently tensioned shaft member is revolved to tension the reel drum to the desired degree, and locked by means of the disk and bracket latch. The automatically releasable drum is then revolved in the same manner to tension its spring, and when the spring is tensioned to the desired degree, the pawl mechanism is set to hold the shaft member. With the parts "set in this man- "ner, when the curtain is lowered, the reel is revolved and both springs tensioned progressively; it being apparent that as the curtain is unrolled from the reel, its weight increases, but is balanced by the increased tension on the reel springs, so that the balance is maintained for the difi'erent positions of the curtain. Should a fire occur in the building, or adjacent the door, while the door is open, heat coming to the fusible link will melt the link and release the hanging arm 71, so that weight of the arm 66 will push the hanging arm aside to allow the arm 66 to drop, and when the arm 66 drops, the pawl leaves its contact with the boss on the reel disk, so that the shaft 28 is free to turn in its mountings. As soon as the shaft 28 is released as described, the spring on that shaft becomes ineffective and as the single spring on the shaft 28 is insufficient to support the weight of the door, the door automatically unreels and closes the door opening; the tension of the active spring being sufficient, however, to retard the lowering of the door and thereby cushion its drop to prevent damage to the door or to the sill with which it contacts in its lowermost position. It is also apparent that, under ordinary conditions, the damper will be held out of contact with the reel or door, but that when the door operates automatically in case of fire, the damper is pulled down against the reel or door to shut off draft through the casing and obviate damage to the reel and door by fire that may be drawn into the casing.

It is apparent that this construction may be used as a door or shutter in the ordinary manner, but that it will automatically close in case of fire, and that when released for the automatic closure its descent is cushioned to prevent damage to the door or its mountm l-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with independently rotatable tubular shaft sections arranged in longitudinal alinement, of a coupling rod fixed in one shaft section and rotatably mounted in the other shaft section, a drum rotatably mounted on each shaft section, springs connecting the drums with respective shaft sections, and means for connecting the drums to form a reel.

, 2. The 'coinbination with independently with relative shaft sections, and means conrotatable, tubular shaft sections, arranged in necting the drums to form a reel. 10 longitudinal alinelnent, of bearing collars In testimony whereof I affix my signature fixed in the shaft sections, a coupling rod in presence of two Witnesses. fixed in the collars in one shaft section and CLARENCE R. BUMBARGER. rotatably mounted in the collars in the other lVitnesses: section, a drum rotatably mounted on each L. E. COATS, shaft section, springs connecting the drums LYNN A, ROBINSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Eatexits;

Washington, D. C. 

